First North Carolina Mega Millions jackpot Winner Claims Prize

RALEIGH – Mike Manheim, a retired businessman from Greensboro, has claimed the first Mega Millions jackpot winning ticket sold in North Carolina. The ticket matched all five numbers and the Mega Ball in the Friday, May 28 drawing and is worth $12 million.

Mike and his wife Faye, both native North Carolinians, have been avid players of jackpot games since the NCEL launched in 2006. They have a ritual of copying their tickets and writing down the numbers as they come up on the televised drawing. The couple were sitting down in their living room the night of May 28, copied tickets in hand, when they heard their numbers called.

“Baby, I believe we won,” said Faye. “That’s good,” Mike replied.

Mike had been playing the set of numbers (3, 11, 20, 29, 39 and 26) for a few months, which were comprised of numbers that he sees in his everyday life.

The Manheims chose to take the prize as a lump sum valued at $7.8 million. They plan to use a portion of their winnings, worth $5.3 million after taxes, to invest in the stock market and visit their family across the country in a recreational vehicle.

The ticket was sold at the Quick Shop on 3930 West Market Street in Greensboro. The Quick Shop received a $50,000 retailer incentive award for selling the winning jackpot ticket.

# # #100% of the North Carolina Education Lottery net proceeds are used for pre-kindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds, reduction of class size in early grades, school construction and need-based college scholarships. For prizes of $5,000 and greater, 25% federal tax and 7% state tax are withheld.